Lymphoma incidence rises and research accelerates, several risk factors for lymphoma have been established. We outline some of them below. Please keep in mind that there are volumes of published research on the twenty to thirty known forms of lymphoma, and much remains to be learned. This page identifies some of the better-known risk factors for lymphoma and should serve as a launching point for further investigation.

Environmental Risk Factors
It will probably not to surprise you to learn that exposure to certain chemicals and radiation has been linked to lymphoma.

Solvents (Benzene)
Chemical solvents such as acetone, alcohol (various alcohols, not just ethyl alcohol), toluene, xylene, turpentine, and benzene, are highly toxic and linked to lymphoma. Benzene exposure in particular, already a known cause of leukemia, is now linked to lymphoma and is the subject of much research and many lawsuits.

A meta-analysis of 22 benzene exposure studies by the UC Berkeley School of Public Health concluded that, “The finding of elevated relative risks in studies of both benzene exposure and refinery work provides further evidence that benzene exposure causes NHL.” Benzene, a solvent manufactured from petroleum, is found in gasoline, cigarette smoke, and in many solvents such as Benzene exposure is also an occupational risk for oil industry jobs, particularly refining jobs, and plastics manufacturing.

Herbicides and Pesticides
Chemicals used for defoliation and pest control have been linked to lymphoma and are a significant risk factor. These chemicals are an occupational hazard for farmers and agricultural workers in particular. Populations in agricultural areas are also at significant risk from airborne exposure via crop dusting, and from groundwater exposure via contaminated water supplies. Herbicides and pesticides are also a potential threat to the general population who may ingest them through the food supply.

Agent Orange
“Agent Orange,” named after the orange-striped drums used for shipping, refers to any of the phenoxy herbicides used for defoliation during the Vietnam War. Herbicides can enter the body not only from direct contact, but also through food and soil contamination and inhalation. Both soldiers and the Vietnamese population endured significant herbicide exposure. One herbicide in particular, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid [2,4,5-T], was particularly toxic because it contained dioxins. Dioxins remain in the environment–particularly the soil–for years and are linked to many cancers.

While it has not been irrefutably proven that exposure to Agent Orange causes cancer, the evidence is strong enough to put both Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs list of “Current Conditions Considered by VA Presumptive to AO Exposure.”